3D mutifractal analysis: a new tool for epileptic fit sources detection in SPECT images

One of the imaging modalities used for the diagnosis of epilepsy is SPECT (Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography). Ictal and interictal images are registered to MR images (SISCOM (Substracted Ictal Spect COregistred to MR) to delineate the sources. However, in some cases and for many reasons, the used method does not lead to precise delimitation of epileptic fit sources. In this case, works have been investigated on group's studies or in combining others modalities like EEG (Electroencephalography). This study investigates the possibility of using a mathematic model for the image texture to detect the changes on SPECT images. Beyond encouraging preliminary results concerning the multifractal analysis to distinguish volunteers and epileptic patients, our aim was to detect sources by the singularity spectrum compute. The experiment is divided into two phases. First, we developed a 3D method for the singularity spectrum compute. In the test phase, we applied this multifractal spectrum to the sources detection on SPECT images. The results obtained on a base of seven patients show that the proposed method is encouraging. Indeed, the detections of epileptic fit sources obtained were in agree with the expert diagnostic.